College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mechanical Engineering Department

Mechanical Engineering 375

Heat Transfer
Spring 2007 Number 17629 Instructor: Larry Caretto

Course Outline (January 24)

Catalog Description
Prerequisites: MATH 250; PHYS 220A/L. Basic principles of heat transfer and their application.
Introduction to conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfer. Applications to design.

Name
Email address
Office
Phone
Fax
Office hours

Course number
Class hours
Class location
Web site

Instruction information
Larry Caretto
lcaretto@csun.edu
Jacaranda (Engineering) 3333
818.677.6448
818.677.7062
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,
1:30 to 2:30 pm; and other times by email,
drop-in, phone call or appointment
Course Information
11585
Monday and Wednesday, 3:00 to 4:15 pm
Jacaranda (Engineering) 1610
http://www.csun.edu/~lcaretto/me375

Expanded Description
The analysis of fluid mechanics is an essential part in the design of many engineering systems,
including rocket engines, the engines in your cars and trucks, the heating and cooling of your
residences and workplaces, the circuit boards in electronic devices etc. In your everyday life, you
are familiar with the three principal modes of heat transfer, which we will consider in this course.
When you touch a hot (or cold) surface, heat is transferred to (or from) your hand by conduction.
When you sit in the sun you receive radiative heat transfer from the sun. A hot or cold wind
blowing past your body heats or cools it by convective heat transfer.
Thermodynamics introduces the concept of heat as energy in transit due only to a temperature
difference and thermodynamics courses discuss the total amount of heat transferred. In this
course you will learn how to design systems to produce a certain heat transfer rate. The main
parameters in heat transfer problems are the temperature difference available (or the desired
maximum or minimum temperature allowed for a performance standard), the heat transfer
properties of the materials used, and the geometry of the system.
Although advanced applications of heat transfer are based on the application of partial differential
equations, the emphasis in this introductory course will be on the use of basic principles, in an
integrated form, to solve common engineering problems in heat transfer.

Text
Yunus A. engel, Heat and Mass Transfer A Practical Approach (third edition), McGraw-Hill,
2007.

Jacaranda (Engineering) 3333

E-mail: lcaretto@csun.edu

Mail Code
8348

Phone: 818.677.6448
Fax: 818.677.7062

Course outline

ME 375, L. S. Caretto, Spring 2007

Page 2

Course Conduct
Course Learning Objectives As a result of taking this course, students should be able to

understand and be able to formulate and solve problems in conduction, convection and
radiation heat transfer using basic material properties: thermal conductivity, density, heat
capacity, thermal diffusivity, and viscosity,

solve problems with multiple modes of heat transfer, using heat transfer coefficients and the
circuit analogy where appropriate,

solve one-dimensional, steady conduction heat transfer problems in various geometries with
constant and variable thermal conductivity,

solve one-dimensional, steady conduction heat transfer problems in various geometries with
heat sources,

solve multi-dimensional, steady heat transfer problems using shape factors,

be familiar with the partial differential equations used for transient and steady heat transfer in
one or more dimensions and be able to apply solutions to these equations to find
temperatures,

solve transient heat transfer problems known as lumped capacity problems where the main
heat transfer resistance is from external convection,

use charts to solve transient heat transfer problems,

understand the important parameters that govern the accuracy of a finite difference solution
and be able to use these parameters to obtain accurate computer solutions with software
packages,

understand the differences between laminar and turbulent flows, between external and
internal flows, and between free convection and forced convection, and calculate appropriate
dimensionless parameters in each of these situations,

solve convection problems for a variety of flow conditions using appropriate empirical or
theoretical equations for heat transfer coefficients,

solve problems in heat exchangers using both the U factor and the NTU methods,

use the blackbody distribution function and radiation properties (emissivity, transmissivity,
and absorbtivity) to find average radiation properties for solving radiation heat exchange
problems, and

use shape factors and the gray body assumption to solve radiation heat transfer problems in
diffuse enclosures.

Relation to program outcomes As part of the accreditation process, the BS degree programs in
electrical and mechanical engineering have a set of outcomes that students should achieve by
the time that they graduate. This course is designed to contribute to the following program
outcomes for the two degree programs: (a) the ability to apply knowledge of mathematics,
science and engineering, and (b) the ability to formulate and solve engineering problems.
Class participation Learning engineering subjects is a difficult task that can only be done by
working problems on your own. Your learning in this course will be a combination of textbook
material, lecture material and in-class discussion. Your active participation in class exercises and
discussion is essential to your learning of the subject matter. Your own work in problem solving is
a key to your mastery of the subject matter.
Course organization The course is organized into twelve subject matter units. Each unit, which
will take one week, consists of an introductory lecture, self study by groups of students, and a

Course outline

ME 375, L. S. Caretto, Spring 2007

Page 3

quiz. Wednesdays will generally start with a quiz on the previous unit followed by the introductory
lecture on the new unit. Mondays will be used for self study. The first quiz will be on Monday,
February 7.
Homework Weekly homework assignments will be given, but not graded. The date for each
homework assignments, given at the end of this outline, is the date of the quiz on the material
covered in the assignment. Students should complete the homework prior to the quiz. Solutions
to the homework will be posted on the course web site. Doing the homework is important
practice for learning the subject material. Problems on quizzes and exams will be similar to (but
not exactly the same as) homework problems.
Assignments In addition to the weekly quizzes, there will be a computer design project, a
midterm exam and a final exam. The computer design project will be due at the end of the
semester. The details of the project will be provided at least one month before the assignment is
due.
Grading Your grade in this course will be based on
Design project
Weekly quizzes
Midterm Examination
Final

15%
35%
20%
30%

Only the ten highest quiz grades will be counted in computing the quiz grade for the semester.
Students who take eleven or twelve quizzes will have their lowest grade or two lowest grades,
respectively, removed before computing the quiz grade for the semester. The quiz grade for
students who take ten or fewer ten quizzes will be calculated from the quizzes taken; there will be
no make-up or adjustment for students who take fewer than ten quizzes.
The translation of a final numerical score into a letter grade rests solely on the judgment of the
instructor. The following criteria will be used for letter grades:
A:

Student knows almost all of the course material and is able to apply it to new problems.

B:

Student satisfies one, but not both, of the conditions for an A grade.

C:

Student knows fundamentals of the course and is able to apply this knowledge to routine
problems.

D:

Student has learned some course material but is not able to apply all the fundamental
points of the course.

F:

Student has failed to demonstrate knowledge of the course material beyond a minimal
level.

Plus/minus grading will be used in this course. A plus grade indicates that the criterion for a
given grade has been clearly met, but the student performance does not begin to approach the
requirements for the next highest grade. A minus grade is given when the student performance
does not quite meet the requirements for the grade, but the criterion for the next lower grade has
been substantially exceeded.
Class courtesy To keep a good learning environment your fellow students you should come to
class on time and not leave before class is over. Turn off your cell phone and other personal
electronic devices while you are in class. Do not disturb others by talking during lecture. If you
do not understand some point of the lecture, ask the instructor for clarification. During group
work, encourage all members in your group to participate. Answer questions your fellow students
ask you, in a respectful manner (as you would like to have your questions answered when you

Course outline

ME 375, L. S. Caretto, Spring 2007

Page 4

ask.) Do not wear perfumes, colognes, after-shave lotions, and the like that upset others in the
class, especially individuals with allergies.
No make-up exams There are no make-up exams or quizzes. Students who miss the midterm
exam will receive a calculated midterm grade, based on their performance on all the other exams
and quizzes that they took. See the grading section above for the treatment of quiz grades.
Students who do not take the final examination will receive a grade of unsatisfactory incomplete
(WU) in the course. This grade counts the same as an F in your grade point average.
Plagiarism vs. Collaboration Students often work together on assignments. This collaboration
is helpful and encouraged. By working together, each of you can improve your learning of the
subject. However, there is a difference between working together to learn the material and
copying another students work and passing it off as your own. Submitting another persons work
as your own is a violation of academic standards and University regulations. It is unethical
behavior for people working in engineering or studying to work in this field. Each student must
submit his or her own work to pass the course.
Written assignments, design projects, or exam solutions that are identical and, in the instructors
judgment, indicating copying, will result in an F grade in the course for both students involved.
The instructor will notify the Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science
and the Dean of Students of any cheating incidents in this class.
Add-drop policy Students are expected to be familiar with the University regulations for adding
and dropping classes. Students who find that they do not have enough time to prepare for this
class or whose performance on the initial quizzes is poor should consider dropping the class
within the appropriate deadline. (Students can withdraw from the class on line up to February 16;
Between February 16 and February 23 a petition approved by the instructor and department chair
is required. Withdrawals after February 23 are not permitted.) Students who do not complete the
course work and do not withdraw from the class will receive a grade of WU, denoting an
unsatisfactory withdrawal. Such grades count the same as an F grade in the computation of
students grade point averages.
Changes Students are responsible for all changes to this outline announced in class.

Schedule of lecture topics, exams and quizzes

The reading column below gives the pages to be read from the text by engel, unless otherwise
stated. Readings should be completed prior to the lecture. Monday quizzes, at the start of the
class, are on the topic of the previous week.
Date
January 29

Quiz and Lecture Topics

Course introduction, dimensions and units

Unit one: Basic equations for conduction, convection and

radiation heat transfer. Introduction to Ohms law analogy
February 5 Self study on unit one.
Unit one quiz. Unit two: basic conduction equations.
February 7 Consideration of variable thermal conductivity and heat sources
February 12 Self study on unit two
Unit two quiz. Unit three: steady heat transfer with combined
February 14 conduction and convection
February 19 Self study on unit three
February 21 Unit three quiz. Unit four: fin heat transfer
January 31

Reading
Notes on
units
140

61112

131159

159179

Course outline

ME 375, L. S. Caretto, Spring 2007

Date

Quiz and Lecture Topics

February 26 Self study on unit four
Unit four quiz. Unit five: unsteady heat transfer lumped
February 28 parameter model and introduction to charts
Self study on unit five
March 5
Unit five quiz. Unit six: charts, infinite medium, and product
March 7
solutions for unsteady heat transfer
March 12 Self study on unit six
March 14 Unit six quiz. Unit seven: introduction to convection
March 19
March 21
March 26

Self study on unit seven

Unit seven quiz. Unit eight: external forced convection and start
of internal forced convection
Review for midterm exam

March 28

Midterm exam

April 2

Spring Break no class

April 4

Spring Break no class

Page 5

Reading
217234

234256

355389
395423,
451466

467489,
503532

April 16

Self study on unit eight

Unit eight quiz. Unit nine: completion of internal forced
convection and free convection
Self study on unit nine

April 18

Unit nine quiz. Unit ten: Heat exchangers

608646

April 23

Self study on unit ten

Unit ten quiz. Unit eleven: fundamentals of radiation heat
transfer
Self study on unit eleven

663701

May 2

Unit eleven quiz. Unit twelve: radiation heat exchange

709752

May 7

Self study on unit eleven

May 9

Unit twelve quiz. Software for heat transfer

May 14

Heat transfer software applications

May 16

Review for final

April 9
April 11

April 25
April 30

285334

Final Exam, Wednesday, 3 5 pm

May 23

Homework Assignments
The homework assignments should be done by the date shown below. Each date (except
January 31) is the date of the quiz on the subject matter of the assignment.
Date
January 31

Homework problems assigned in engel

Download problem set from web site

February 7

1-55, 1-59E, 1-64, 1-66, 1-78, 1-95, 1-101

February 14 2-48, 2-79, 2-80, 2-87, 2-101C, 2-103

February 21 3-19, 3-20, 3-29E, 3-36, 3-47, 3-133E
February 28 3-111, 3-112, 3-114, 3-115, 3-117, 3-121,
4-14, 4-15E, 4-19, 4-24, 4-35, 4-37
March 7

Course outline

Date

ME 375, L. S. Caretto, Spring 2007

March 14

Homework problems assigned in engel

4-38, 4-43E, 4-45, 4-72, 4-83, 4-86

March 21

6-8, 6-9, 6-18C, 6-37, 6-38, 6-51

March 28

No homework midterm exam

April 4

No homework spring break

April 11

7-16, 7-32, 7-67, 8-22, 8-39, 8-41

April 18

8-55, 8-63E,9-29, 9-39, 9-47, 9-68E

April 25

11-42, 11-46, 11-49E, 11-90, 11-93, 11-118

May 2

12-14, 12-20, 12-48, 12-50E, 12-61E, 12-63

May 9

13-8, 13-14, 13-26E, 13-36, 13-43, 13-59

Page 6